Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium

The Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium was held on February 7, 2018. This event examines the insights that big data has provided into economic and political behavior, as well as the impact that technology will have on the future of work. The symposium, presented by the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies, is made possible through the generous support of Robert B. Menschel.

Session I: Keynote With Hal Varian

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In the keynote session, Hal R. Varian and presider Peter R. Orszag discuss the impact of automation in the labor market, the difficulties of measuring productivity in the digital age, and competition among technology companies. Varian also touches on the possibility that technology might make three-day weekends the new normal and how to measure the effect of Super Bowl advertising.

Session II: Behavioral Economics in the Age of Big Data

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During this session, Hersh Shefrin, Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, Dan Wagner, and presider Leigh Gallagher discuss the use of data to predict participation in elections, what Google search can--and cannot--tell us about human behavior, and other insights that have emerged from the intersection of big data and behavioral economics.